Photographing apparatus



Sept. 11, 1923. 1,467,466

T. A. WILLARD PHOTOGRAPHING APPARATUS Filed June 21, 1917 2 Sheets-Sheet1 l Sept. l1, 1923.

T. A. WILLARD PHOTOGRAPHING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2A FiledJune 2l,1'917 l UNITED STATESI Patented Sept. l1, 19,23.

`'.IHIEODQIRLE A. WILLARD, OF EAS'JZYCLEVV'ELANI), OHIO.

PHOTOGRAPHING APPARATUS.

Application led June 21, 1917. Serial 110.176,024.

To all lwhom t may concern Be itknown that I, THEoDoRE A. WIL- LARD, acitizen of the United States, residing .certainnew and usefulImprovement in at East Cleveland, in the county ofCu a' hoga and Stateof Ohio, have invente a rPhotographing Apparatus, of which the followingis a Jfull, clear, andexact description.

This invention relates to `a cameraI or photographing apparatus and hasfor its chief object the provision of a camera by which a series ofexposures may be made on separate sensitized films or plates atsubstantially the same time. A further object is to accomplish thisresult in an efficient manner and s'o as to give the maximum exposure toeach image or on'each sensitized plate or film for la given rapidity of'movement.

My invention may be utilized in the production of a plurality ofnegatives in monochrome vor in color separations, and it may be employedin photographing stationary objects, or in the production of motionpicture negatives.

In. carrying out my'invention I utilize a plurality of reflectors ordeflectors which I While are successively moved before the lens oropening through which the rays are admitted, and I arrange .thedifferent sensitized members, whether films orvplates, in

selected positions determined by the angu- 'larity or dispositions ofthe reflectors so that as the latter are successively brought.

into light refiecting position, the different sensitized members willreceive the photographic impressions in rapid succession.

the reflectors are brought before the, lens, the exposures on differentsensitized members are not made entirely. in succession, for there is anoverlapping and a partial coincidence of exposures as will be more fullyexplained.v

In utilizing my invention for motion picture work the sensitized filmsin strip form will, of course, be utilized as is customary, and the filmshifting-mechanism will be operated in predetermined timed relationshipwith the moving refiectors, or with' the latter and the shutter. Ashutter separate from the carrier for the mirrors can be employedl'ifnecessary, but a separate shut- Ater is not absolutely essential.

successively 'tails of construction and combinations and arrangements ofpart-s which will be described in the specification and set lforth in'the appended claims.

diagrammatically, practically' no attempt l being made to show theactual details of construction which would be employed, but rather toillustrate the principle of the invention.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view through a camerawherein three separate exposures are made on sensitized plates by meansof the shifting refiectors; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view lookingtoward the inner front side of the camera and showing particularly thevertically movable slide carrying the reflectors whiclrare adapted torefiect the light rays successively to opposite sides, first to one sideand then the other of the camera box withan open space between thereflectors so that the'liglit from the lens may pass directly through tothe rear of the box and cause the exposure. on a third plate; Fig. 3 isa perspective view of the slide with the reflectors; Fig. 4: is a purelydiagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which an object 'isphotographed onthree sensitized plates or films as the case may be', toan extent successively, but in part simultaneously in which my inventionmay be applied for 1 motion picture photography, this view being avertical sectional View looking from the `rear toward the front wallofthe camera and showing how the exposures .are made on the twolaterally disposed films;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view to illustrate in additionvto thelaterally disposed films, the film at thev rear of' the camera whichreceives its light direct from the lens;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to. Fig. 5, but showing a construction whereinthe rotary shutter ma be eliminated; Fig. 8 is a detail view showing amodification in the reflector shifting means. f,

Referringfirst to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, wherein I have shown myinvention applied to an ordinary camera in distinction 'to a motionpicture camera, 10 represents the camera box which may be of anysuitable construction, this box having a lens holder 11 equipped with asuitable lens. At the two sides and at. the rear of the camera box arethree holders 12, 13 and 14, adapted to receive sensitized plates orfilms 12a, 13a and 14a. Inl order that the rays of light entering thebox through the lens in the 'holder l1 may be diverted to the two sideplates or films (hereafter termed plates for convenience) and alsoallowed to pass directly back to the rear plate so as to produceseparate and independent exposures, I provide immediately back of thelens holder, a carrier for suitable reflectors.y In this case thecarrier is in the form of a vertically movable slide 15, which in thiscase is iriovcd downward by gravity, and on this slide I provide tworeflectors 16 and 17 which are designed to divert the light rays atright angles to the rightI` and to the left respectively, there being anopen space" designated 18 between the reflectors through which space thelight may pass directly to the rearplate. Theslide has an opening (seeparticularly Figs. l and 4) so that the light may pass therethrough ontothe re flectors, or through the space 18. Above the uppermost reflector,and below the lowermost reflector are opaque portions 19 and 20 whichact as shutters when the slide is either in its uppermost position orlowermost p0- sition. i

A shown, particularly in Fig. 2, the slide is dcsignedto be released soas to drop by gravity. As here shown. it is retained in its uppermostpositionby a pivoted latch 2l, designed to engage a suitable pin orother projection 22 on the slide, and adapted to be released by a button23 which is on the exterior of the camera hox andis connected h v a rodto the latch so as to rock the same. lVhen the slide is in. its upperposition, 'the lower opaque part 20 closes the lens, and when the slideis released it falls, and the lowermost reflector 17, the open space 18,

and then the upper reflector 16 are succes-v sively brought before thelens opening which is indicated by the dotted circle. As the slidedrops, the rays of light are first deflected by the reflector 17 to theleft plate, then the light passes through the opening or slot 18 betweenthe reflectors onto the rear 4plate 13, and then the light strikes theup-i per reflector and is deflected to the right plate 12, thusproducing in rapid succession three successive exposures, or threeexposures on three separate sensitized members.

In Fig. 4 I have shown diagrammatically, the manner in which theexposures are made, the slide being shown in its central or midposltion, that is, half way between its uppermost and'lowermostpositions, in which pos1t1on the rear plate `is receiving the full imageor ful1 exposure while the image is )ust leaving plate 14 and appearingon plate '12, To this extent there is the overlapping of the images orexposures as stated previously.

The separate negatives may be made in monochrome as before stated, or incolor separations, in which latter event, color filters, shown at 25 arearranged between the reflectorsor the -space 18 and the plates, thesecolor filters being indicated diagrammatically in Fig, 1.

For the reflectors I may employ mirrors or prisms whichever prove to bethe most efficient i'n any particular case. I-prefer to use thin glassground and polished to a perfeet surface and silvered on the face sothat the reflection comes from the surface instead of through the glass.

The reflectors are preferably of a length, laterally considered,-equalat least, and preferably somewhat greater than the diameter of the lens.The width of the reflectors may be varied. They may be of substantialvwidth or in the form of narrow bands, the

width depending largely upon the amount or time of exposure desired, andupon the rate `of movement of the slide. For extremely rapid orsensitive films or plates, with a given rate of movement of the slide,the reflectors may be very narrow, in which event they act in a measurelike curtain shutters giving each image its maximum exposure.

lVhile the reflectors may be otherwise arranged and shifted in differentways than here shown, the arrangement on a slide adapted to be given acontinuous rectilinear movement has certain advantages over otherarrangements and other movements, especially as the overlappingfeature'referred to, is obtained, and generally greater speed isobtainable than in a construction wherein the reflectors must be startedand stopped for each particular or separate exposure or negative.

It will be observed that in Fig. 3 thereflectors have covered ends 26,these being employed when it isneccssary to keep out stray rays oflight.

Instead of having a single lens at the front of the camera, I may employa light4 opening at the frontof'the camera and use a plurality of lensesinside the camera box,

one for each film or plate, these lenses beincludes three films, 30, 31and 32 which are designed to be unwound from suitable reels 33, andwound onto receiving reels 34, the films in passing from the -feed reelsto the receiving reels extending lthrough guides 35 having suitableopenings to receive light rays.V Any suitable, or any of the lWell knowndevices for feeding the films inter mittently may be employed, theparticular mechanism here shown for this purpose being simply aconventional representation of an intermittent film moving means whichoperates synchronously with respect to a carrier for the reflectors anda rotary shutter, assuming that the latter is employed.

In Fig. 6 the three films are shown enclosed in a camera box designated36, the film 31 being at the rear of the box, and the films 30 and 32atjthe two sides. At the front of the camera box is a lens holder 37(See Fig. 6 and Fig. 5 where the lens holder is shown by dotted lines).In Figs. 5 and 6 there is a rotary shutter 38 having arc-shaped openings38, and opaque or closed portions 38b between the openings. The shutteris in this case mounted on a shaft 39 which may be rotated in anysuitable manner such as by means of a crank 40 (Fig. 5) Which can begeared to the shaft 39. This shaft when rotated operates inpredetermined time relationship the film feeding means, the shutter andthe slide here designated 41 which is on the interior of the box behind.the lens holder, and as in the prior instance, is dc-v signed to bemoved vertically so as to bringsuccessively before the lens holder thetwo reflectors and slot designated as in Figs. 1 to 4, by the referencecharacters` 16, 17 and 18. In this case the shaft 39 operates the slideby a crank motion, the slide being connected by a rod 42 to the crank onthe shaft.

For the purpose of intermittently feeding the three films I have hereshown three bell? cranks 43, pivoted .at 44 to suitable portions of thecamera box and-provided at their outer ends with dogs 45 which engage inperforations along the margins of the films, and when moved upwardly,move the films in the same Vdirection .a predetermined amount. Thebell-cranks are vrockedso as to shift the dogs upwardly by a disk 46having lugs 462L and 46", and adapted to be engaged by rollers 47 onthe. bell-crank arms. The lugs 46 are on theperiphery of the disk andare adapted to engage the rollers car ried by the bell-cranks whichshift the two side. films 30 and 32, while the lugs 46b are,i here shownon the front face of the disk and are adapted to engage the rollers ofthe bellcrank which shifts the rear film 31. The films will be shiftedin this ease at each half revolution of the disk 46, or shaft 39, andthey wil1-be shifted when the rotary shutter closes the lens and at atime when the slide s at or about one end of its movement.

The parts are so ,organized and connected that immediately after theshifting of the films, one of the slots 38 of theshutter cornes oppositethe lens holder, and at or about this time the slide starts on one ofits vertical movements (as shown in Fig. 5, its

upward movement) and is rapidly moved so as to bring the two reflectorsand open slot opposite the lens opening, causing the exposures to bemade ont-o the three films, the films being stationary, of course, whilethese exposures) are being made. Immediately after this occurs, theshutter closes the lens, the films are again shifted, then the shutteris again opened and the slide is moved downward, again' causingexposures on the three films.

Thus it Will be seen that I have provided connected mechanism whichoperates in predetermined relationship the three films, the slide andthe shutter so as vto produce in the interim between each film movementthree separate substantially simultaneously made exposures.

These negatives can be in monochrome,l but preferably' they will be incolor separa' tions, in which event color filters, indicatedconventionally at 48, will be utilized betwlveen the reflectors and slot18 and the three' fi ms.

VIf desired, the rotary shutter may. be eliminated, and the shutter orshutters provided 'or formed on the slide, in which event the slide willbe provided at its ends, above l .will be readily suggested when themain features of the invention are understood. For

example', if it is desired to shorten still`further the slide movement,theslot between the reflectors can be eliminated and one of thereflectors can be transparent sov that it may be used both as areflector to reflect part of the light to one of the films at the sideof the b x, and to allow part of t-he lighti to pass (.irectly throughvthe same onto the film or late at the rear of the camera, or. directlyzehind the lens. While the light which is reflected by the transparentreflector in proportion to thatfgoing through to the back produce theyellow or most. rapid printing negative. y

Furthermore, the red or green filters may be placed on the back of thetransparent 1-25 plate orl film is quite'small, it is enough toreflector instead of placing it at a distance therefrom, so that thecombination can perform the two functions of causing the reflection ofthe proper rays of light to produce a certain col-or negative and thetrans mission of the rays of the other color.

Furthermore, instead of giving the slide or carriage for the reflectorsa continuous or uninterrupted movement from'one end of the stroke to theother, the carrier may be given an intermittent movement so that thereflectors will be substantially stationary while refiecting the lightto make the negatives. This can be accomplished by means of a cammovement instead of a crank movement, as shown in Fig. 8, wherein theslide designated 15a is shown actuated b v a disk 51 with a cam slot 51aso formed as to hold the slide Stationary when the exposures are beingmade, and to quickly move the same between the periods of lightreflection so as to bring first one and then the other reflector beforethe lens. In this figure I have shown two reflectors 16a and 17 arrangedside by side with no slot between them asin the prior instances. Thiscan be utilized in making two negatives, or three negatives, in whichevent one of the reflectors Will be transparent so as to transmit partof the light to one negative and to reflect a part ofthe light toanother negative as described above.

Further changes or additions may sug gest themselves to one skilled inthe art, and I therefore aim in my claims to cover all modificationswhich do not involve a departure from the spirit and scope of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, is:

l. In a camera, a casing, having an opening for rays of light, saidcasing' being adapted to receive a. plurality of films, means for movingthe films intermittently, a carrier having reflecting means and adaptedto be interposed in the path of the light rays so as to causethe rays tobe directed onto the different films when the films are stationary, andmeans for moving the said carrier intermittently so that the carrierv isstationary when transmitting light from the reflecting means to thefilms.

2. In a camera, a casing having an opening for rays of light, saidcasing being adapted to receive a plurality "of films. means for movingthe films intermittently, a recipmcati'ng carrier having reflectingmeans and adapted to be interposed in the path of the light rays whenthe films are stationary to cause the rays to be directed to thedifferent films, means for moving the lsaid carrier intermittently sothat the carrier is stationary during the period when light is beingreflected to the films.

3. In a camera, a casing having an opening for rays of light, saidcasing being adapted to receive a plurality of films, means for movingthe films intermittently, a carrier having reflecting means which are.adapted to be interposed in the path of the light rays when the filmsare stationary, thereby to cause the rays to be directed onto thedifferent films, cam member for operating the said carrier, means formoving said cam with a continuous motion, said cam being constructed sothat the carrier is stationary during the time that the reflectingmeans' reflects light to the films.

4. In a camera. a casing having an opening for rays of light and adaptedto receive a plurality of films, means for moving the filmsintermittently, a carrier having reflecting means adapted to beinterposed in the path of the light rays when the fihns are stationary,thereby to cause the rays to be directed onto the different films, a cammember formed with a cam'groove, means engaging the cam groove and thecarrier whereby the carrier is moved intermittently and so that thecarrier is stationary when thelight rays are being reflected to thefilm.

5. In a camera, a casing having an opening for rays of light, saidcasing being adapted to receive a plurality of films, means for movingthe films intermittently, a carrier having reflecting means and adaptedto be interposed in. the path of the light iays.wlien the-films arestationary, thereby to cause the rays to be directed onto the differentfilms. means for moving the said carrier intermittently so that thecarrier is stationary when transmitting light from the reflecting meansto the films, and means for moving the carrier operating means and thefilm operating means in predetermined timed relationship.

6. In a camera, a casing having an open ing for rays of light, saidcasing being adapted to receive a pluralityv of films, means for movingthe films intermittently, a carrier having reflecting means and4 adaptedto be interposed in the path of the light rays when the films arestationary, thereby to cause the ravs to be directed to the differentfilms, a cam member for operating the said carrier intermittently sothat the carrier is stationary when the rays are directed from thereflecting means to the films, and means associated with the cam memberfor operating the film moving means, whereby the films and the carrierare moved in predetermined timed relationship.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

THEODORE A. WILLARD.

